


An Outside Chance

by Elmerain



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, But he's just a little bored, Codenames will not be a thing, Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, Grad Student Yuuri, It's okay though, M/M, Misconceptions, OCs are idiots, POV Outsider, Phichit is a little bit bored as well, TA Yuuri, Victor and Yuuri are retired, You Have Been Warned, Yuri is a bit of a troll
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-09-28 10:01:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10090274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elmerain/pseuds/Elmerain
Summary: Maxwell, freshman extraordinaire, laments every little part of his life that led to him signing up for an early morning class. He's not even sure why it is that he decided to take Japanese for his foreign language GEs.But if that cute guy really is teaching this class, maybe it wont be so bad after all.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic and is largely inspired by skygem's retirement prompt (though does not follow it completely), so any constructive criticism would be incredibly appreciated. I hope you enjoy!  
> Unbeta'd- all mistakes belong to yours truly

Maxwell regretted. Extensively. His freshman year of college, and he thought that it’d be a good idea to take morning classes. ‘Get up early’, he’d told himself. ‘Be productive every day and make the most of college’. 

Yeah. He hated his past self. He was a asshat.

Max sighed. Regardless of his woeful decisions, he did have a class to suffer through. 

At 8 AM.

God, he hated himself. 

With an internal groan- because while he may be exhausted and rather irate, there were still people around him and he wasn’t that rude (most of the time, anyways)- he pulled his laptop from his back and opened a word document for his notes. 

With another ten minutes until the lecture was scheduled to start, Max let his eyes wander around the mostly empty hall. A few other students were already seated, scattered around the room. Max’s eyes lingered longingly at the desk of a student who had the foresight of bringing coffee to class. Glorious, exhaustion-dissipating coffee. 

Max swore he could live off the stuff. He’d even made a bit with his best friend, Kyle, that he could drink coffee only for a week straight. Granted, the Kyle called off the bet when Max hadn’t slept in over three days, so he hadn’t won. But he hadn’t technically lost either, so Max still maintained that coffee was his life-source. Kyle scoffed whenever he said so. Traitor.

In any case, Max was still in class at an ungodly hour with a tragic lack of coffee. It was going to be a long semester. 

According to his phone, he had a few more minutes before the lecture started. Once more his eyes wandered, away from the blissful presence of coffee- why torture himself, after all. 

The hall had filled rapidly in his minutes of distraction. A few students were approaching each other awkwardly, introducing themselves, but most kept a distance from their peers. Max followed the movement of one student as he approached the front of the room and sat in the very center of the first row. Probably a teacher’s pet. Max squinted. He looked older, likely well into his twenties. Definitely too old to be in a freshman, introductory-level course. Maybe Older Guy was one of those people who started college later- not everyone came straight out of high school after all. 

Max was distracted from his deliberations by OG himself. He was waving his cell phone in the face of a boy next to him, Asian by the looks of it, and talking enthusiastically. Curious, Max’s attention drifted to him instead. His eyes raked over the lithe form of OG’s flustered-looking companion. From his angle, Max couldn’t see much other than messy black hair and blue plastic that suggested that he wore glasses.

That is, until OG pushed him out of his seat, an action rewarded by a rather fierce glare. The guy huffed quietly and walked stiffly to the front of the room. 

Max heard a breathy ‘fuck’ from a small brunette girl sitting in the row before him. And he couldn’t help but agree. Max didn’t swing that way, but he could see the appeal. He had eyes after all. And the black-haired guy definitely pulled off the cute, shy look, with his glasses, messy hair, warm-looking clothes, and slightly flushed features. 

Picking up a piece of chalk- and seriously, what is this, kindergarten? Students pay thousands of dollars a year and all they could get was chalk? – Cute Guy began to write on the board. 

Max looked on, confused by Cute Guy’s actions. Flitting his attention back to OG, he saw that he was staring at his phone, not-so-subtly snapping pictures of CG.  
By the time Max returned his attention to the front of the class, CG was just finishing to write and was turning to face the curious eyes of the lecture hall students.  
Looking beyond for a moment, Max regarded the mix of foreign and familiar letters on the board:

Introduction to Japanese  
日本語の紹介  
Yuuri Katsuki

Then CG gave a nervous-looking smile and began to speak in a soft, lilting voice. “Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the introductory course to the Japanese language. I am Yuuri Katsuki and I will be teaching this class as a graduate student. You may call me Katsuki-sensei. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

Maybe this semester wouldn't be so bad after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kind words and kudos on my first chapter! Here's chapter two, please enjoy!

Max wasn't quite sure what to make of Katsuki-sensei. He seemed kind but rather uncomfortable with standing in front of a crowd. He was constantly moving in some way or another. Between his pacing and fidgeting, he was never still. 

But the class was laid-back, a fact for which he was immensely grateful. He didn't think he could survive another Mrs. Bunin, especially not this early in the morning. Max swore that the she-devil would deduct points just moving wrong in her presence. The only thing he’d truly learned in that class was how to stay perfectly still in an uncomfortable chair.

Needless to say, Katsuki-Sesei was no Bunin. He’d handed out the course syllabus and went over any relevant information. He’d patiently answered any questions- questions that rather irritated Max, who was already in an annoyed mood. Seriously, did some people just not bother to skim the paper before asking their questions? Max was certain that half the questions were answered in the syllabus. In bold lettering. Seriously. Yet Katsuki-Sensei answered each and every question without once losing his patience.

As the class approached it’s last ten minutes, Katsuki-Sensei called an end to his teaching. “Alright, class is almost over for today. I suggest that you spend the rest of class introducing yourselves to each other. The best way to become comfortable with a language is through practice. Study groups will help you immensely and give you people to practice speaking with. I’ll email the class group my office hours but you can also email me at any time if you have any more questions. My email is listed on the syllabus. I’ll see you all Thursday, have a good rest of your day!”

As soon as Katsuki-Sensei finished talking, the noise level in the room skyrocketed. Papers were shuffled, laptops closed, belonging gathered, and conversations started. Max packed away his laptop and syllabus into his bag, but kept his curious eyes on Katsuki-Sensei.

At the front of the room, Katsuki-Sensei looked immensely relieved the class was over, but a small smile lingered as he approached the older guy who had still not put away his phone. Frankly, Max found him rather rude. Who sits in the front just to stare at his phone the entire class? But surprisingly, Katsuki-Sensei didn't seem bothered as the two began talking. 

OG showed Katsuki-Sensei something on his phone, laughing. Whatever it was, it had Katsuki-Sensei blushing and rolling his eyes. 

Watching their interactions only confused Max more. OG leaned into Katsuki-Sensei’s space easily, nudging him playfully as they talked. They were clearly very familiar with each other. Friends, maybe?

“What do you think? Are those two dating?” A voice sounded behind him. Feminine, and undeniably amused. Max tilted his head up to look at her. Long wavy strands of blonde hair framed her face and her lips were curved in a soft smile. Her striking green eyes were watching the pair at the front of the room with amused interest. 

“I guess. I mean, it would make sense. He doesn’t really look like he fits into this class,” said Max.

In a flash, Max found himself to be sole focus of the woman’s narrowed green eyes. The smile had disappeared and a challenging tilt of her chin took its place. “Why?” She demanded. “Because he doesn’t look young enough? Not all people start college at eighteen, you know.”

Her voice had taken a harsh, no-nonsense tone, and Max found himself rather unnerved under her critical gaze. Jeez this lady was scary.

“N-No. That’s not what I meant. He just didn't look very interested in listening to the teacher. He’s been on his phone the entire time. And anyways, I get that there’s nothing wrong with starting college a little later than everyone else. It takes guts,” Max placated, hoping he wouldn’t get mauled. 

The spark in her eyes dissipated immediately. “Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh. Well. That’s not true. I did mean to sounds kinda mean,” she said, rather sardonically. “It’s just a bit of a touchy subject for me. So sorry for, y’know, snapping,” she apologized. “I’m Olivia, by the way.”

Max nodded. “I’m Max. And I don't know about those two. They may just be friends.”

Their attention returned to OG and Katsuki-Sensei. OG was leaning into Katsuki-Sensei, a pout decorating his features. Katsuki-Sensei was pointedly looking away, while clearly trying not to laugh. A moment later, the façade fell and Katsuki-Sensei let out a small giggle. Seriously, like an actual giggle. Max raised an eyebrow at that. Immediately, OG broke into a shining grin.

Olivia hummed smugly. “Definitely dating, then.” She turned her attention back to Max. And he wasn't sure how to respond to that. On one hand, beautiful woman. On the other hand, terrifying beautiful woman. “Do you want to exchange numbers? That way, we can form a study group like Katsuki-Sensei said we should.”

Max blinked. That was blunt. He held out his phone so that she could enter her number. He would need help with his Japanese, after all. That was all this was. 

“I texted myself so that you have my number,” Olivia said, handing back Max’s phone. Without waiting for a response, she spun on her heels and practically sauntered out of the hall. Dazed, Max shifted more comfortably in his chair. 

Ahead, OG and Katsuki-Sensei were still conversing animatedly and Katsuki-Sensei looked far more at ease than he had in the entire hour since Max had first seen him. A soft smile graced his features as they talked while waiting for the hall to clear. 

Yup, definitely dating then.  
Max sighed and grabbed his bag before leaving the lecture hall. Maybe he even had some time before his next class to grab a coffee at the café that he’d seen on his way here. He definitely needed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments? Kudos? Questions? Please leave them!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for such massive support, everyone! I never thought this would reach over 100 kudos, especially so quickly. It's truly made my week!

Max woke blessedly late the next day, Wednesday. His first class started at 11AM and his vibrating alarm said 9:30. He hit snooze. And hit again ten minutes later. And again.

After half an hour of shallow sleep and blaring snoozing alarms, Max’s roommate and best friend Kyle haphazardly threw a pillow across the room. It missed his bed entirely, but Max still glared from his nest of blankets. 

“Dude, turn off your alarm and get out. I can still sleep for another hour,” Kyle groaned, turning to face the wall while wrapping himself tightly in his blankets. 

Max sighed. Best to just get up now. He still had to grab some coffee, after all. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Max inhaled the wonderful aroma of sweetened-bitterness that was his liquid heaven. He’d been able to sleep in, he was currently drinking his beautiful coffee, and he wasn't even rushed to get to his class- some Calculus course or another. This was how college should be, he thought.

The class passed blissfully quickly and Max made his way through the crowded campus to the school quad. He and Kyle had made plans to meet up at the quad and Kyle had promised to bring lunch in exchange for Max being friendly when he introduced his new friends.

Which, rude. Max was plenty friendly. It wasn't his fault that people took offense to his words so easily. That was clearly their problem, not his.

Max pulled his phone from his pocket and texted Kyle to meet him at the far end of the quad, near the giant oak that towered over the other growing trees that littered the grassy area. 

Finding a grassy spot in the shade, Max dropped his backpack on the lush grass and closed his eyes to bask in the sun’s warmth. The sky was clear and bright, but a sharp autumn breeze pierced the air and made Max grateful that he had thought to bring a jacket.

“Max! Hey!” Max opened his eyes to see Kyle approaching with two others, all carrying bags of Indian takeout. He waved them over and took the offered bag of food from Kyle.

“Curry?” Max questioned, narrowed eyes focused on Kyle.

“Of course,” Kyle scoffed.

“Lamb?”

“Yup.”

“Spicy?”

“Yes. Just eat.”

“Extra cumin?”

“Good god, yes! I know you’re fucking order, Max. Eat the damn food!” Kyle exclaimed, in clear exasperation. 

Max smirked and began to eat his food. 

Kyle glared and sighed, realizing that he’d once again been played. 

Max turned his attention to the two that had arrived with Kyle. One was observing the proceedings with clear amusement. He had one eyebrow raised and the corner of his mouth was ticked upwards in an open half-smile. 

The other, with his face half-obscured by a façade of blond hair, was glaring angrily at his dish and skillfully shoveling his rice into his mouth with a pair of engraved dark wood chopsticks.

Max paused in his own meal to watch in surprise. Yeah no, he was like ninety percent certain that the Indian restaurant didn't give out chopsticks that fancy. Hell, he was pretty sure that Indian restaurants didn't use chopsticks at all.

As though Angry Chopsticks Guy had sensed his staring, Max suddenly found himself to be the direct object of ACG’s piercing, green gaze. Max, even though he was most definitely not intimidated by the intense strength in those eyes- shut up, Kyle-, leaned away from ACG. 

Kyle, bless his soul- once again, not that he was unsettled or anything-, broke the awkward stare-down with proper introductions.

“Max, this is Yuri Plisetsky. Yuri, Maxwell Parker,” Kyle said, gesturing to ACG/Yuri. “And this is Robert Channing,” he added, pointing to the black-haired stranger on his other side. “They’re the ones I told you about, from my bio lab class,” added for Max’s benefit.

Max nodded to both, reminding himself to be civil for Kyle’s sake. Robert offered an easy smile. Yuri, on the other hand, just turned back to his food. So much for mutual courtesy. 

Max raised an eyebrow in Kyle’s direction at the odd behavior, and only received a ‘go with it’ shrug in response. 

The meal descended into easy conversation between Max, Kyle, and Robert, while Yuri simply observed, adding a few sarcastic side comments here and there. 

As Max rose to throw away his trash, a loud and unrestrained laugh caught his attention. A group of three older students stood nearby. Max jerked in surprise when he recognized one of the figures- lean with dark black hair, toned skin, and blue glasses.

“Hey Kyle, isn’t that the guy from yesterday?” Rob inquired curiously. Max glanced over and saw Rob tilt his head slightly to the group that had just caught his own attention. 

“Yeah, it looks like it,” Kyle responded, with a glint in his eyes. 

Max didn't like that glint. It was the same glint that had been present when Kyle had dared him to drink only coffee for a week straight. It was a predatory glint and it meant that someone, willing or not, was about to become the prey.

“I don't think I told you about it, Max. The guy over there, in the glasses.” Katsuki-Sensei? “We ran into him yesterday at the gym. He was messing around with the bench press machine, but it didn't actually look like he knew how to use it,” Kyle explained. 

Yuri scoffed at that, rolling his eyes in clear exasperation. Max frowned at the rudeness of the action. Not everyone knows how to use gym stuff from birth. There was no need to judge someone so harshly for not knowing how to use something.

“So me and Rob go over and offer him a little help, right? I mean, he could have hurt himself if he didn't know how those things worked. So he says ‘fine’, super polite and everything, and we get him set up. He doesn't get too far, which we kinda expected. I mean, who can lift massive weights without even knowing how the machine works, right?” Kyle rambled. 

Max just nodded patiently. When Kyle got into a story, he bulldozed through any interruptions like a lawn mower through grass- excessive amounts of noise included. Max had learned the hard way that it was better to just let him talk. And talk. And eventually he would get thirsty enough to actually slow down.

“So he eventually says he’s done enough and goes to the ballet bar at the back of the gym. The ballet bar. I didn't even know the gym here had a ballet bar!” Kyle exclaimed. Max nodded again, silently urging him to just get on with the story. Something must have showed on his face because Kyle continued with his developing monologue.

“And he just twists his leg over his head. Like, no joke. His foot was in front of his face. I didn't even know somebody could be that flexible. And he just keeps doing things with his body, crazy things,” Kyle’s eyes narrowed, before a smirk spread across his face. “Bet he’d be an incredible lay, huh Rob?” Kyle added, nudging Rob who pursed his lips and turned away, clearly trying to hide the flush that rose on his cheeks. 

“Kyle.” Max admonished. Seriously, his friend had no shame. That was his teacher that he was talking about. Not that Kyle knew that anyways.

Rolling his eyes, Yuri’s face caught Max’s attention. He looked horrified and disgusted, mouth twisted in a disgusted sneer. Max found himself glancing worriedly at him out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't a homophobe, was he? If he was, he’d be in for a nasty surprise. After all, Kyle was bi, and based off Kyle’s teasing, Max assumed that Robert was at least interested in guys.

Max’s concerns were cut short as Kyle continued his story, laughter still present in his voice. “So after the whole thing with the machines, Rob and I, being the kind Samaritans that we are-”

Max did scoff at that. Kyle sent a challenging glare his way and Max held up his arms in mock surrender before twirling his hand in an impatient gesture for him to continue. 

“Anyways, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,” Kyle said (and Max was pretty sure his eyes were going to become stuck to his eyelids from the number of times that he’s rolled his eyes in the past five minutes), “me and Rob decided to keep an eye on him. In case he needed any help, you know?” Kyle didn't even wait for affirmation. “So then he goes to the treadmill. And just runs for an hour straight. And I’m not talking a leisurely eleven minutes per mile pace. No, this was a solid six-thirty minute pace the whole way through. 

“And then, I kid you not, without even taking a break after running, he goes to do a wall sit. For thirty minutes. Straight. And the whole time he’s just tapping away on his phone, smiling at it like he hadn’t just run nine and something miles without breaking a sweat. And then he just up and left! Can you believe that? I swear, that man is weirdly intense,” Kyle ended, obnoxiously leaning into Max’s space to emphasize his point. 

Now, Max was used to Kyle’s exaggerated stories. It seemed that he gained as much entertainment from recounting them as the people who listened to him.

But he seemed genuinely amazed by Katsuki-Sensei’s performance. And when Max raised an inquiring brow at Rob, he received a one shoulder shrug and a slight tilt of the head, clearly insinuating that Kyle had told it as it had happened.

Yuri just appeared far more amused than he had been by any of the preceding conversations during their lunch break.

“Huh,” Max responded. “He’s my Japanese 114 teacher. He’s a grad student here and his name is Yuuri Katsuki. He seems pretty chill.”

“Yuuri Katsuki,” Kyle repeated faintly, staring in Katsuki-Sensei’s direction. Then resolve returned to Kyle’s previously contemplative face, and the glint returned to Kyle’s eyes. 

Max inwardly groaned. There was no escaping The Glint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Be sure to leave a comment and a kudos if you have a moment!
> 
> And I totally think that Yuuri gets his crazy stamina from off the ice training as well as excessive on-ice practice.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your wonderful words of support! They are great motivation fodder so keep 'em coming ;)

Max was already resigned to being caught up in whatever nonsense accompanied The Glint. He just hoped he didn't end up losing his eyebrows like he had in the Let’s Never Bring This Up Again Debacle of 2018. 

He had ignored Kyle for a month. 

Still, he couldn't exactly say he was happy with the plan to stalk his Japanese teacher. The one who was, after all, very much responsible for his grades and all. 

Not that any of that mattered to Kyle, obviously. Yeah, Max was a little bitter, sue him. But in the end, curiosity and Kyle’s puppy dog eyes (seriously, those couldn't be human) had won out over common sense.

Max, for the dozenth time in the past hour, reflected on how he’d found himself in this situation to start with. It had commenced just after Kyle had recounted the events at the gym.

Regardless of Kyle’s role in all this, Max blamed Yuri Plisetsky. The ass.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The four of them were sitting in the shade of the oak tree, discussing Yuuri Katsuki. Well, three of them were anyways. Yuri still maintained a woeful lack of participation beyond snark and eye rolls.

Max realized they probably looked rather suspicious, huddled together, whispering urgently to each other, and shooting furtive glances towards the older group who stood a dozen or so meters away. 

Kyle’s eyes suddenly widened, and a panicked expression flashed across his face. “Don’t look now, but the target is approaching,” he hissed.

And of course, what do you do when someone says not to look? You look. Obviously. And sure enough Katsuki-Sensei was waving goodbye to his friends, phone in hand and walking in their general direction.

“Look casual!” Rob whispered hurriedly. 

Max found it extremely ironic that it was so impossible to look remotely casual when you were not, in fact, ‘being casual’. 

Kyle and Rob both dove for their bio textbook that had been abandoned by their bags. 

“So, uh, what happens to the, uh, hydroxyl compound when it approaches the diploid membrane of the cell?” Kyle asked Rob, loudly, as though he wanted to make sure everyone knew exactly what he was doing. Subtle. Real Subtle. Capital S and all.

Yuri stared a moment, a single eyebrow raised, seemingly astounded by their behavior- which yeah, Max could get on board with that-, before laying down and draping his jacket over his head as though settling in for an early afternoon nap.

Well, casual people did casual things, right? Max pulled his phone from his pocket and began scrolling through his recent social media feed. 

Without the distraction of conversation, Max realized that he could actually hear the exchange between Katsuki-Sensei and his friends as he prepared to leave. And he could even see, if he glanced over from the very corner of his eye while tilting his head just so slightly to the side. And lo and behold. Yuuri’s boyfriend, Older Guy was waving goodbye.

“We’re still on for dinner tomorrow night, right Phichit?” Yuuri called out, phone in hand but held away from his ear. 

“Of course, I’ve been looking forward to it all week! See you then, Yuuri,” OG, apparently Phichit, replied happily.

Yuuri smiled back and turned around, bringing his cell phone back to his ear. 

Max was relieved that while his own group hadn’t quite grasped the meaning of ‘subtlety’ –cough Kyle and Rob cough-, Katsuki-Sensei seemed to distracted by the person on the other end of the line to pay any attention to their failed attempt at ‘casualness’.

Though they were garnering a few strange looks from a few people sitting in the vicinity. 

“Da, on idet. Seychas ya yedu v restoran,” Yuuri said as he walked. 

Max may not know a whole lot about linguistics, but that was most definitely not English. 

“Khorosho, no u menya yest' tol'ko paru chasov do sleduyushchego uroka.”

Japanese? Katsuki-Sensei was fluent after all. Still, it sounded off. Not as soft and fluid as it had sounded yesterday when Katsuki-Sensei had spoken a little bit of Japanese for the class.

“Uvidimsya v neskol'kikh.YA tozhe tebya lyublyu.” Yuuri smiled as he hung up and walked away without once glancing at their group.

Max was officially confused. Did Yuuri speak multiple languages? He’d never stated what his major was. Maybe it was linguistics or something?

Kyle and Rob were still mumbling their way through a series of nonsensical questions and answers. Idiots. Max balled up his jacket and threw it directly at Kyle’s head. 

Bullseye.

Kyle’s head shot up and Max smirked at the glare he received. He was well aware of how much time Kyle put into making his hair into just the perfect amount of messy.

“That wasn’t English, was it?” Robert asked, brow furrowed. “Unless I’ve been living under a rock and can’t even recognize my native language.”

“No, it didn't sound like Japanese either. Maybe a Slavic language? Swedish maybe?” Max pondered.

“It was Russian,” Yuri informed them. As all their surprised faces turned to him, he repeated, shrugging, “He was speaking Russian. You know, the language they speak in Russia.”

How idiotic did Yuri think they were? They knew exactly where they spoke Russian. 

Still, Max was surprised at how easily Yuri had recognized the language. “How do you know?” He inquired, curious.

Yuri gave an uninterested shrug. “My grandpa’s from Russia.” He didn't look as though he was going to elaborate, so Max didn't pester. No use poking the bear with a stick, and all that. Max was certain that the size of the bear didn't affect its ferocity and he suspected Yuri would be an incredibly fierce bear indeed. 

“Wait, so Yuuri is ridiculously flexible and athletic, and speaks at least three languages fluently? Who the hell is this guy?” Robert exlaimed.

“Maybe he’s a spy,” Yuri said flatly.

Once again, Max, Robert, and Kyle all turned their surprise-stricken faces onto Yuri. He stared back, face completely stoic. 

“A spy,” Kyle repeated softly, a contemplative expression on his face.

Now, Max was pretty sure that Yuri was being sarcastic. After all, from what he’d seen, Yuri didn't seem to be the type to genuinely believe that Yuuri Katsuki could possibly be a spy. He was far too down to Earth for such nonsense. 

But Max also knew Kyle. And as such, he also knew that Kyle had an overactive imagination. He was also painfully aware that Kyle had spent the past few weeks binge watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D when he should have been studying for his classes. 

Needless to say, Max was far from surprised by Kyle’s response.

“That must be it! Yuuri Katsuki must be a Russian spy!”

For some reason that Max could not fathom, Kyle looked ridiculously proud of his conclusion.

Robert’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Russian?” He asked. “Isn’t Yuuri Japanese?”

Kyle, eyes closed and arms crossed over his chests, shook his head sagely. As though he now knew all the secrets of the universe. Ass. “No, he’s definitely a Russian spy. It’s part of their strategy, see. Because he’s Japanese, people automatically think ‘Japan!’ instead of Russia. But he definitely must be a Russian spy! It explains everything, see. The languages, the flexibility, the stamina, it’s all there!” Kyle finished, a wild gleam in his eyes.

Robert watched on, completely entranced, nodding as though it made complete and utter sense. Yuri just looked increasingly amused. Max was pretty sure he nearly saw the corner of his mouth twitch too.

But The Glint had definitely been cemented into Kyle’s eyes. 

Yeah, this wasn’t going to end well.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So here he was, awake far too early on a Thursday morning, waiting for his Introduction to Japanese class to finish for the day. Max tapped his pen on his thigh impatiently, watching the smooth rotation of the red hand of the clock mark the passage of each second. 

He probably should be paying attention to what Katsuki-Sensei was saying, seeing as it was apparently instructions for an important upcoming group project. And guessing from Olivia’s sidelong glances, she was well aware of his inattention as well. 

Oh well, he’d just ask her for a copy of her notes later. At the moment, he was far more concerned about the fact that in less than twelve minutes, he would meet up with Kyle, Rob, and Yuri outside of this very lecture hall.

To spy on Yuuri Katsuki and to find proof of the fact that he was indeed a Russian spy. 

This. This is why he so very much despised The Glint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations in order (from google translate, yes I know, super reliable):
> 
> "Yeah, he's coming. I'm heading to the restaurant now"
> 
> "Ok, but I only have a couple of hours before my next lesson."
> 
> "I'll see you in a few. I love you too."
> 
> Comments? Critique? Rants at the ridiculousness of my OCs? Please leave them below!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the support! The story has received over 250 subscriptions and I'm so flattered that so many of you want to read more of this train wreck. And thank you also to all of you who have commented and encouraged me to keep writing it means a ton!
> 
> Again, all errors are my own.

As soon as Katsuki-Sensei called an end to class, Max was on his feet and out of the door. He pushed his way past a few students who were making their way to the front of the class, probably to ask Sensei a few questions regarding the upcoming project. Or flirt with him. 

Max sighed inwardly at their insistence on approaching Sensei with absurd questions just to be able to talk to him for a few minutes longer. Apparently they were not up to date on the fact that Katsuki-Sensei was most definitely taken, by a very handsome man, no less. 

But at that instant in time, Max was grateful for their floundering attempts to flirt with their seemingly oblivious teacher’s aide. It bought him a little extra time to find the others, who were supposed to be hiding nearby. 

Time that he soon realized he didn't actually need. Because it would seem that Kyle’s inability to appear subtle extended to any attempts he made whatsoever.

Kyle was standing across the hall, just outside of the double doors to the lecture room. He was dressed completely in black and his basketball hat was pulled down to cover most of his face. 

And he was wearing sunglasses. The weather was cloudy. And they were inside. Idiot.

Rob was standing next to him, dressed much more naturally in jeans and a navy blue Henley. But he was also wearing sunglasses. Also idiot.

Max stared Kyle down with a deadpan expression, conveying ‘you’re an absolute idiot’ as effectively as he could with only his face. Kyle ignored the look and urgently waved him over. 

“Here, put these on,” Kyle whispered, pushing a pair of dark sunglasses into his hands.

Now, Max knew every pair of sunglasses that the two of them owned. This wasn't one of them.

“What? No, these aren’t even mine! And we don't need sunglasses for this, Kyle,” Max hissed, handing the glasses back to Kyle.

Kyle gaped at Max as though he were the idiot! Max! How could Max possibly be construed as the idiot in this situation? God, he needed new friends.

“Uh, of course these aren’t yours, dude. You’d be too recognizable if they’re your normal sunglasses,” Kyle stated as though it were completely and utterly obvious.

“Too recognizable,” Max repeated. Yup, definitely needed new friends. Max shook his head in disbelief at Kyle’s completely serious nod. “Right, well anyways, where’s Yuri? Wasn't he supposed to meet us here?”

“Yeah, he texted me that he was busy, but that he would try and meet up with us a little later,” Rob explained. 

Max heard the door swing open behind him and voices filled the air as students began swarming the hall. The three of them walked with them to the end of the hall, where they could still see the door, but were not as visible to random people exiting the room.

After about ten more minutes of tense waiting, a final group of girls exited the room and a moment later, Katsuki-Sensei followed, locking the room behind him. He nodded a pleasant goodbye to the group and walked in the opposite direction.

Straight towards where he, Kyle, and Rob were standing. Great.

The three of them immediately ducked their heads, shielding their faces with their phones. 

Apparently Katsuki-Sensei wasn't all that great at being aware of his surroundings, as he didn't even seem to notice the three of them standing suspiciously still along the wall. 

Huh, some spy he was. 

Max shook his head at himself internally. Of course Katsuki-Sensei wasn't a spy. This was just another one of Kyle’s elaborate conspiracies that Max was only playing along with for the entertainment value, of course.

The small group of three locked eyes as soon as Katsuki-Sensei had walked past, texting away on his phone. Quietly, they followed him, keeping far enough back that Katsuki-Sensei wouldn't be immediately suspicious if he turned around. 

They watched as he exited the language hall and made his way towards the center of campus, where the quad stood. 

Soon enough, the large open space of the quad entered Max’s vision and they watched Katsuki-Sensei as he walked decisively over the grassy lawn. He’d sped up quite a bit, and Max found it difficult to keep pace without nearly jogging. 

All of a sudden, Max saw Katsuki-Sensei just light up, his smile overtaking his face and his eyes crinkling at the corners. His hand was raised slightly in a wave, and his bright, sparkling (yes, actually sparkling- what the actual hell?) eyes were focused ahead.

Following his line of sight, Max saw a lone figure, leaning against a tree. All in all, the guy was handsome; he was tall and lean, though his V-neck showed some clearly defined muscles that Max was certain extended downwards. His stylishly silver swept easily over one half of his face, and even from a distance, Max could tell how striking his blue?green? eyes were. 

And going by Kyle’s gaping expression, his conclusion was pretty accurate: mystery man was a fucking wet dream. Not that he was interested at all; Max was speaking objectively after all. 

For a fraction of a moment, Max froze, thinking that mystery man was looking directly at them. But then, just as mystery man broke into a grin, he realized that his attention was entirely focused on the approaching figure that was none other than Yuuri Katsuki himself. 

Max immediately felt confused. A sentiment echoed by his two companions.

“Who the hell is that guy? He cannot be legal,” Rob breathed out airily. 

Kyle, ever the conspirer, responded, eyes narrowed. “Maybe he isn’t legal. He might be Yuuri’s Russian correspondent. You know, for spy stuff and all.”

“Er, dude, I don't think those two are just ‘correspondents’,” Rob stated, a red tint rising to his cheeks and eyebrows crawling up his forehead. 

Max saw what he meant. As soon as the two made contact, Katsuki-Sensei was wrapped into a long, crushing hug. And then their lips met and, yup, that was definitely some tongue. In the middle of the quad. This guy had no shame.

Wait, Katsuki-Sensei was kissing someone? 

“Guys, Katsuki-Sensei already has a boyfriend, and he’s most definitely not that silver-haired guy,” Max hissed urgently to the others.

“What? He does? Why didn't you mention this before?” Kyle accused, pouting at not being given all the gossip.

Max rolled his eyes. “It didn't come up. But yeah, he does. Some Asian guy. He came to Katsuki-Sensei’s first class a few days ago. Moral support I guess, but they seemed super close.”

Rob eyed the pair appreciatively. They had stopped kissing but they still held each other close, murmuring softly to each other as though they were in their own little world, rather than in the middle of a very public quad.

“You mean, closer than those two?” Rob asked, eyes still focused on the pair.

“Rob, focus! Seriously, I can’t believe Katsuki-Sensei would cheat on someone like that,” Max said, feeling rather disappointed.  
He had liked Katsuki-Sensei, but he also couldn't stand people who cheated on their partners. Especially without trying to hide it, anybody could see the two together in the quad. Did he have no respect for his actual boyfriend?

“Hey, sorry I’m late. Training took longer than expected.” Max looked up but Yuri’s words barely registered. Rob nodded in greeting and Kyle offered a tight-lipped smile. “Did something happen? You guys look like someone kicked your puppy.”

Rob simply gestured to where Katsuki-Sensei and the other guy were standing together. Yuri simply scoffed, looking rather disgusted at their blatantly mushy behavior. This guy was a serious asshole.

“Are you sure, Max?” Rob asked reflectively. “It’s just that I really can’t imagine Yuuri doing something like that. He seems far too kind to actively cheat on someone, you know?”

“Wait, cheating?” Yuri asked, tensing. Max was surprised at the sharp edge to his tone. Looking at Yuri, he saw a burning in his gaze that he hadn’t seen before. “You’re wrong. Katsuki wouldn't cheat on someone.”

“You know him?” Kyle inquired curiously.

Yuri shrugged. “We’ve met.”

“Guys, I’ve seen him with this Pichit guy myself, okay?” Max defended. “They’re definitely dating.”

“Phichit?” Yuri asked, returning to his seemingly uninterested ambiance. He pronounced the name fluidly, as though the foreign syllables danced easily off his tongue. Max eyed him suspiciously. Just a moment before, a fire had flared in his eyes, but not even a moment later, he seemed indifferent, with his head tilted to the side as though he was bored.

Max was beginning to suspect that Yuri knew more than he was letting on.

“Yeah, I think we should find Phichit and tell him,” Max said, rather hesitantly.

Kyle and Robert looked at him with surprised eyes. Yuri observed him with arms crossed over his chest and a single eyebrows raised. But a gleam of amusement was reflected in his eyes. 

Did the asshat genuinely think that the situation was funny? To be laughed at? Someone could be seriously hurt emotionally after all this. 

Still, was it really his place to meddle? His concerns were echoed not a moment later by Robert.

“Are you sure?” Robert asked with his eyebrows furrowed in concern. “We could just make things worse. I mean, if we, complete strangers, tell this Phichit person that his boyfriend is cheating on him, we could make things way worse.”

“For the record, I think we should,” Kyle said, conveying a rare sense of solemnness. “I know that if someone was cheating on me, I’d want to know. It wouldn't matter who told me. It’s not fair to leave Phichit in that situation. It just feels like manipulation, you know? Phichit deserves the change to make his own decision, fully informed. He deserves the chance to move on.

“I think telling him is the right thing to do. We may not be the right people to do it. But if we don’t, then who will? It could just fester even longer and escalate.”

It was moments like these that really reminded Max that Kyle was not, in fact, like many people believed, just a dumb jock who had gotten into college through connections and sports. He had his moments of profundity and wisdom. 

Robert still looked worried, but he nodded once in agreement. Yuri watched Kyle with narrowed eyes. Max had seen that he had remained rather impassive during Kyle’s reflections, but hMax suspected that there was a glimmer of interest and maybe even some admiration? in his eyes as he regarded Kyle. 

“Well, that’s all good and well. But how do you expect to find this guy?” Yuri asked, drawling out the words as though he knew that they didn't actually have an answer. 

They all exchanged questioning glances. For a solid minute, nobody spoke. Yuri sighed loudly, probably mentally mocking their foolishness. 

“Wait!” Max exclaimed, suddenly remembering. “Yesterday, when we saw Katsuki-Sensei with his friends, Phichit was there. They mentioned that they were meeting up for dinner tonight.”

“Awesome! Did they say where or when?” Kyle asked, excitement returning to his face. 

“No, sorry,” Max said, apologetic that he didn't know more details.

Kyle hummed, thinking. “Well then I guess we have no other choice. We’ll have to follow the spy around until dinner. That way, he’ll lead us straight to the target.”

‘The target’? Kyle was getting way to invested into this, Max sighed internally.

“Kyle, we all have classes today. We can’t follow him around the entire time,” Robert, the apparent voice of reason, said, looking rather uncomfortable with the idea of following somebody around all day. 

Eh, if he was planning to stick around with Kyle for much longer, he’d have to get used to shit like this eventually. 

“We could take turns,” Kyle proposed. “Somebody make a group chat, and whoever’s not in class can take over the watch.”

Well, there goes any chance of Max having a relaxing day. Or rather, there goes any chance of Max having delusions of a relaxing day. Max was well aware that there was no relaxing when Kyle was like this. 

Robert was listening to Kyle’s detailed plan attentively, while Yuri just watched on seeming increasingly amused, as his eyebrows rose increasingly higher and his mouth ticked up at the corners, betraying the presence of a half-smile.

Max glanced to the pair who had instigated this whole escapade in the first place. They were laughing at something together, holding hands and bumping into each other as they meandered across the lawn. They looked happy and doubt once again clawed at Max’s stomach.

Still, he nudged Kyle and gestured over to the pair.

“Alright, everyone. They’re on the move. I’ll take first shift and keep you all updated. Good luck, and remember to stay out of sight. Let the mission begin. Eagle out,” Kyle said before ducking away from the group and following Katsuki-Sensei.

“We aren’t using codenames, Kyle!” Max shouted after him.

Kyle simply turned around with a shit-eating grin and, yup, a hard glint in his eyes.

Has Max mentioned yet how very much he despises that Glint? Cause he does. Very, very much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos? Comments? Critiques? Please do leave them below!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on this chapter! But it's finally done!
> 
> Thank you all for such enormous support on this story. This was my first fanfic so the fact that so many people wanted to continue reading this mess truly warms my heart.   
> So here's the last chapter, please enjoy!

The day passed quickly after Max left the others to go to his next class. It wasn't until six that he received a text from Robert telling him to meet him at the campus library when he had the chance. 

Max texted back immediately, assuring him that he’d be right there. 

Ten minutes later, Max found himself in the reference section of the library, scanning the far side of the room for Robert. Spotting him, Max weaved his way through the crowded tables, occupied by harried looking students tapping away at computers or skimming through thick books. 

“Hey,” Max said, sitting down in the chair next to Robert, just as Robert cleared his own homework and research to give more room for Max to put down his stuff. “Where is he?”

“Middle of the room. A little to our left,” whispered Robert, ever conscientious of the people working around him. “He got up to take a call right after I called you. He said ‘I’ll be there in half an hour’ so I think he’s probably going to leave soon.”

Max nodded, scoping the room for the increasingly familiar messy black hair. He found it easily. 

Katsuki-Sensei was hunched over a hefty-looking book, mouthing along silently to the words as he read them. Occasionally he would nod, as though something made sense, before writing something down onto the paper in front of him.

The two of them waited patiently for another five minutes until Katsuki-Sensei began to pack his belonging. They quickly followed suit and traced Katsuki-Sensei’s path as he made his way out of the library and towards the commercial plaza on the edge of campus

A mile-walk later, they watched as Katsuki-Sensei entered a quaint-looking Japanese restaurant. Robert and Max stayed across the street, watching the entrance of the restaurant curiously.

Max tried not to feel too much like a creepy stalker. It was for the greater good, after all. Kind of. He was just observing, is all. It’s not like he’s going to murder the guy or anything, he rationalized.

“Do you think Phichit is already in there?” Robert asked.

Max shrugged. “How about you go check the restaurant. If I go in there, Katsuki-Sensei might recognize me from class. I’ll let the others know where we are.” Robert agreed, though his reluctance was nearly palpable to Max.

In all honesty, Max was just relieved that he had a decent excuse to not to have to go into the restaurant himself. 

Robert crossed the quiet street and disappeared through the door. Not a minute later, he scurried back out, crossing back over the road quickly. 

“No, he’s not in there. Yuuri is sitting at a table alone.” Robert turned to more fully face Max. His mouth was tight at the corners and his eyes slid from focus to focus, never truly settling on one thing. He breathed in an unsteady breath. 

“You don't actually believe that Yuuri is a spy, right? I mean, plenty of people speak lots of languages and he could just be really flexible. I just- a spy seems kinda out there doesn’t it?” Robert asked, his voice fading out and losing confidence as he continued. 

Max snorted. “Of course he isn’t a spy. Kyle is just messing around.” Probably. 

Robert nodded, looking slightly more at ease. 

Across the street, Max spotted Phichit, bundled in a warm-looking scarf, hurrying towards the restaurant while tapping away on his phone screen. 

“There he is! I’m gonna go talk to him,” Max said, barely checking for cars before hurrying over to intercept Phichit. 

“Phichit! Excuse me, Phichit! I need to talk to you,” Max called as he approached. The fact that Phichit had no idea who he was briefly crossed his mind, but he might as well keep going, despite not knowing what he was going to say. Great. Well, sink or swim and all that jazz. 

What Max didn't expect was for Phichit to perk at the sound of his name and give him a genuine, thousand-watt smile, as though being approached by a complete stranger was not only a common occurrence but also one to be delighted about. Man, this guy was friendly. 

“Hello!” Phichit grinned.

“Hey, I wanted to tell you something. About Yuuri Katsuki?” Max wasn't exactly sure why he intoned the last part as a question, though he felt like it made it easier. As though Max were easing in the news. But in the end, news was news. 

If anything, Phichit’s smile only got wider and affection crinkled the laugh lines around his eyes. He looked so gone on Katsuki-Sensei. Max really hoped that his news didn't crush him completely. 

Max hurried on before he could lose his nerve. “Um, well I know you two are close and all. I’m in Katsuki-Sensei’s Japanese class. I just- Er, well,” Max took a deep breath and let it out in a rush of air. “Me and my friends saw Yuuri making out with some guy in the quad and I thought someone should tell you because I know that I would hate it if someone cheated on me so yeah.”   
Max felt flustered. The feeling was rather unfamiliar and he had to say, he was not a fan. Maybe this had been a mistake after all.

Taking in Phichit’s expression, Max felt his doubts grow even more. He looked shocked, the whites of his eyes creating a stark contrast with the dark center and his mouth was gaping slightly in surprise. He looked as though he was in complete disbelief. 

“Cheating?” Phichit said softly, as though the very idea astounded him. 

Max wondered if he maybe should have gone a little slower, rather than blurting it all out at once. Maybe it would have made it easier to process. Or something. 

In a flash, the confusion was gone, replaced by a façade of hurt anger. Phichit turned abruptly, the end of his scarf flapping behind him, and all but stormed into the restaurant. 

Max followed. He wasn't entirely sure what he hoped to achieve. He’d done what he had come to do, but he felt as though the situation was unfinished. And if he could, Max would try to help calm down any potential confrontations. After all, it was his decision to inform Phichit.

“Yuuri!” Max heard Phichit’s plaintive cry. “Why would you ever cheat on me? I mean, I thought that I was good to you, kind and giving and everything you could ask for!” 

When Max finally got a visual of the situation, well. He wasn't quite sure what to think. He was confused, he though. Yeah, definitely confused. 

Phichit, arms crossed over his chest, was standing in front of a small booth tucked into the corner of the restaurant. Yuuri was seated in said booth, snuggling with the all too familiar mystery man with silver-gray hair. Yes, snuggling.

Max honestly wasn't sure the pair could physically get much closer than they were. Katsuki-Sensei’s back was flush against silver man’s chest and silver man’s arms were wrapped protectively around Katsuki-Sensei, pulling him even closer. Silver man had his chin resting on Katsuki-Sensei’s shoulder as they both stared up in calm confusion at Phichit. 

Only confusion. None of the panic at being caught together that Max had anticipated. Suddenly the doubts in Max’s mind increased a dozen fold. The sneaking suspicion that he had made a horrible, horrible mistake was slowly turning into a stifling blanket wrapped around him. 

“What are you talking about, Phichit? We aren’t even in a relationship,” Katsuki-Sensei said evenly, mouth turned slightly down at the corners. 

Phichit gasped as though scandalized. “Yuuri! I had no idea I meant so little to you!”

“Shit, are they fighting?” Kyle’s voice said from directly behind Max. Both Yuri and Robert were behind him as well, having just entered the restaurant. 

“I actually have no idea what’s going on,” Max breathed out. He was so very, painfully confused. 

“Phichit, I can’t actually cheat on you. You realize this, yes?” Yuuri stated, starting to look slightly concerned. 

Yuri snorted and Max only briefly registered his amusement.

“Yuuurrriii, don't be so heartless! It’s clear that Phichit needs support right now,” silver man nodded sagely at his own words, ignoring Yuuri’s responding scoff. 

“Thank you, Victor! Finally, someone understands me!” Phichit exclaimed theatrically. Wait, they knew each other?

Victor, apparently, and Phichit exchanged commiserating glances ignoring the playful annoyance that essentially radiated off of Katsuki-Sensei as he pushed Victor away and looked around, likely for a server. 

Max watched as Victor practically pouted at being pushed away. An instant later Phichit and Victor were seated side by side, comforting each other over their oh-so-overwhelming suffering. 

Has Max mentioned that he was very confused? Granted, he was beginning to catch on that Yuuri and Phichit were apparently not dating. Huh. Awkward.

As Katsuki-Sensei’s eyes roamed over the room, Max paniced for a brief moment. What if he saw that the four of them were just standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, staring at his booth. 

But when Katsuki-Sensei did catch sight of them, he froze for a moment, before grinning and waving them over. 

Yuri sighed behind him, before sidestepping around Max and heading towards the booth. Max, Robert, and Kyle exchanged glances and followed Yuri’s casual lead. 

“Yuri-kun! I didn't think you’d make it. Are these your friends?” Katsuki-Sensei asked, expression open and inviting. God, Max could not emphasize enough how utterly lost he was right now.

“I guess. We’ve hung out a few times.”

“Hmm, well sit then! All of you are welcome to join us, if you’d like. I’m Yuuri, and those idiots are Victor and Phichit,” Yuuri explained. Victor and Phichit did not respond to the introductions, being too distracted by their own conversation which had transitioned from sympathy to cooing over pictures on Phichit’s phone.

“Kyle, Robert, and Max,” Yuri gestured to each of them in turn.

Max felt slightly uncomfortable at the scrutiny of Yuuri’s gaze. His eyes were sharp, and Max felt as though every movement he made was being analyzed and catalogued. 

Max saw recognition flash in Yuuri’s eyes and tensed, anticipating the accusations of stalking that were bound to follow.

Instead, Yuuri seemed to brighten even more. “Oh! I know you all! Max, you’re in my Japanese course, aren’t you? And Kyle and Robert, you were the two that helped me out with the machines at the gym. Thank you for that by the way. The school machines are quite different from the ones in Japan.”

Yuri sighed heavily. “Katsudon, I already showed you how to use all the machines. I knew you weren’t listening to me.”

It was only at the fond familiarity of Yuri’s tone that Max truly registers that Yuuri knew Yuri. And Yuri knew Yuuri. He knew that Yuri had been hiding something, how could he not have realized this earlier? Jesus Christ, they even had the same frickin’ name!

“You led us on!” Max called out, pointing an accusing finger directly at Yuri.

He only received an unbothered shrug in response. “Perhaps a little. I truly didn't expect you all to take it as far as you did. I’ll admit that it was amusing though.”

Yuuri tilted his head to the side, regarding the interaction curiously

Max felt Kyle tense beside him, and sneaking a glance from the corner of his eye, saw him staring intently at Yuuri. And so, The Glint™ returns. 

“Are you a spy?” Kyle interrupts, blurting the question loudly, as though it had just burst through his filter after he’d tried to hold it back. Too bad that Kyle didn't actually have a filter.

“A... Spy?” Yuuri repeated, looking completely and utterly perplexed. Join the club, Sensei, join the club. 

Kyle now held the attention of the entire table. Both Phichit and Victor were staring at Kyle in surprise. Yuuri looked confused, as though he weren’t used to accusation of being a spy. Go figure. Robert and Yuri simply looked a little startled and amused that Kyle had so tactlessly blurted the question that had undoubtedly been burning holes into Kyle’s mind.

Glancing back at Kyle, Max was surprised to see him look flustered. Kyle never looked flustered. In fact, he took it as a point of pride that he could so easily brush embarrassment off without a second thought. 

“I- it’s just, well, Um. You see, you were just really impressive at the gym. And your linguistic skills are exceptional. I just thought, you know, spy,” Kyle stuttered.

“Ah, I see.” Yuuri’s eyes softened as he spoke. “Well I hope I don't disappoint, but I’m definitely not a spy.”

“Hm, he’s far too obtuse for something like that,” Yuri agreed. Yuuri shot him a painfully unconvincing, baleful glare. 

Max shot Yuri not so unconvincing glare. So Yuri had been playing them all along after all. Yuri tilted his head in Max’s direction as though sensing his scrutiny. He sent a smug, amused grin towards Max and Max couldn't help but be shocked by the openness of Yuri’s expression.

He hadn’t realized it before, but ever since they had entered the restaurant. Yuri seemed much more at ease than he had previously been. Less tense and hyperaware. Relaxed. Yuri must be close to these people, Max concluded. Despite how strange they all seemed. 

Victor’s laugh resounded across the table, the lilting tones saturating the air. Max watched in surprise as Victor leaned into Yuuri, closer and closer, until their foreheads were pressed together. Yuuri leaned into the touch and his eyes sparkled with loving exasperation.

“My Yuuri may not be a spy, but he does indeed have a wide array of talents,” Victor practically purred. 

Max’s eyes widened at the intonation of his voice. He hadn’t realized earlier, but Victor’s voice had an unmistakable accent. So he was foreign as well.

“Victor,” Yuuri warned, eyes narrowing at the statement. 

“What? I should be allowed to brag about you. Especially since you refuse to brag about yourself.”

Yuuri released an amused huff of breath. “That may be because I don't want to bring attention to anything when there’s no need to.”

“No need to? How could you say such a thing?”

“Vitya, it’s hardly relevant. Or have you forgotten the fact that I’m retired?”

“The world should never stop admiring your achievements. And you should never stop being proud of them,” said Victor, in a soft tone. The words were clearly meant for Yuuri alone, spoken softly and tenderly as they were.

Of course, that hardly stopped Max, Kyle, and Robert from listening shamelessly to the exchange. 

What? They had spent the past few days focusing on these people. They were curious, sue them.

Phichit’s amused attention, on the other hand, was focused on the trio. Max suspected that their nosiness was exceedingly apparent. 

“He’s a professional figure skater,” Phichit revealed. 

“Figure skater? Like twirling and stuff?” Kyle asked. 

“Oi, there’s a little more to it than that, you know! It takes stamina and skill and years of practice to be able to skate professionally,” Yuri declared.

Max was surprised at the flame burning in his eyes. It was quite possibly the most expression he’d ever seen Yuri show.

“Right,” Kyle quickly acquiesced, leaning unconsciously away from Yuri.

“And I’m retired anyways, so it’s not that big of a deal,” Yuuri explained, waving both hands in front of him in a placating gesture, clearly trying to calm Yuri. Surprisingly enough, Max watched as Yuri immediately softened at the soft tone of Yuuri’s voice. 

“Hmm, but being retired doesn’t change the fact that you are a world-renowned skater who has won a silver and two golds at the Grand Prix, as well as several medals at the World Cup. And you placed at the Olympics.” Victor boasted.

It was funny, Max thought. Victor bragged as though they were his own accomplishments.

Wait. Did he say the Olympics?

“What?” Max exclaimed. “I’m being taught Japanese by an Olympic medalist? That’s incredible Katsuki-Sensei! How do you not just introduce yourself in every conversation by saying ‘Hi, my name is Yuuri Katsuki and I placed at the friggin Olympics!’?” His enthusiasm surprised even Max himself. 

“It’s not that impressive,” Yuuri said. As if. “It’s not like I got gold, or anything.” Yuuri forced a laugh and only then did Max realize that a person as reserved as Yuuri may not be comfortable boasting about their achievements, especially with strangers.

“Who beat you out for gold? Switzerland? France?” Robert inquired politely.

“Russia,” Yuuri responded proudly, smiling softly at Victor. Proudly? Why was Yuuri proud of that?

“Victor won gold that year,” Phichit elaborated on the unspoken question. 

So Victor was from Russia. And was also a professional figure skater. Who won gold at the Olympics. Right, piece of cake. 

“So you met through figure skating then?” Robert queried. Max had to admit, Robert was taking all this in stride. Meanwhile, he and Kyle were sitting there like baffled ducks. 

“Yup, me and Yuuri went to undergrad together in Detroit. He idolized Victor, at that point. Later, Victor went to Japan to become Yuuri’s coach and two years later, they got married!” Phichit explained.

Max’s brain short-circuited. 

“Wait, you’re married?” Max exclaimed. “You don't wear a ring, though,” he added, confused.

Yuuri reached under his shirt and pulled out the silver chain wrapped around his neck. Attached was a perfectly round golden ring that glinted in the fluorescent lighting. “I keep it around my neck. I don't like the thought of it getting damaged or dirty or anything.”

“Huh. You have no idea how many hearts you just broke, Katsuki-Sensei,” Max muttered. He only received a quizzical look from Yuuri in response.

“Plus, this way, it’s closer to your heart, so you always remember my love for you,” Victor said, rubbing his nose along Yuuri’s cheek and placing a light peck on the flushed skin. 

“Vitya,” Yuuri protested, though it sounded weak even to Max’s ears. Yeah, these two were sickeningly in love. And he had thought that Yuuri was cheating. He felt suddenly ashamed about his actions and the assumptions he had made. 

Yuri groaned in annoyance, probably at the overwhelming sappiness (Max was pretty sure that Yuri was allergic or something). “Katsudon, Victor.”

As though Yuuri suddenly realized that he and Victor weren’t, in fact, alone, he turned towards them, beet red and apologizing profusely. 

Max had to admit though, the two didn't seem to suit each other at first glance, but they complemented each other on a level that truly astonished Max.

So maybe Katsuki-Sensei wasn't a Russian-Japanese top-level spy, but judging from the open and inviting nature that Katsuki-Sensei seemed to bring out in people, Max could definitely learn quite a bit from one Yuuri Katsuki and company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully, you all enjoyed this story. I'm not completely satisfied with the ending so I may go back and rewrite it later, if I get some inspiration.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading this far! Please leave a review down below!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading the first chapter! And yes, Victor (as well as others) will come into later chapters. If you're interested in reading more or liked/disliked it, please leave a comment/kudos and let me know!


End file.
